Electric switch



June l5 1926. 1,589,263

w. H. STRAUTMAN ET AL.

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed DSG. l0, 1921 Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. STBAUTMAN .AND ALBERT LPBEBGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Applicationled December 10, 1921. Serial No. 521,410.

This invention has for its .prime object the provision of a box, adaptedfor attachment upon the rear of an automobile, having a lurality ofwindows showing the words Stop, Slow, Right and Left, and an electricalswitch adapted to close and o en the light circuit extending to the topand Slow signals upon depression and release of the brake pedal by theperson operating the car.

In the accompanying drawing, wherelike c numerals refer to like partsthroughout,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a Ford automobile showingthe preferred manner of attaching the invention thereto; Figure 2 apartly diagrammatic plan view, on enlarged scale, depicting theelectrical wiring, the connections of the aforesaid switch and theadditional manually-operated switch on the steering-wheel for control ofthe Right and Left signals; and Figure 3 a longitudinal sectional viewshowin the construction of the brake-operated swite The switch, as best'shown in Figure 5, comprises an oblong block 1 of hard rubber orvulcanized libre slotted longitudinally for the reception of a bar 2which block is provided with recesses 3-4 and the bar is yieldinglyretained against forward movement by a helical spring 5 mounted thereon,said spring bearing against the shoulder 6. The forward extremity ofsaid bar is connected by rod 7 with the foot-brake lever 8, and saidblock is preferably secured to the under surface of the floor of thevehicle by a bracket 1.

Binding posts 9-10 threaded for retention of nuts 11 are projectedthrough said block and terminate in metal caps 12 which Ventend withinrecesses 3-4 during non-use` ot lever 8 and serve to compress springs 13against shoulders 14. W'hen said lever is depressed to a slight extentfor the purpose ofinerely checking the speed of the ear, rib 15 dividingsaid recesses cont-acts with the cap of post 9 and thus effectsimmediate illumination of the'window 16 displaying the word Slow byclosing the circuit supplying the lamp at the rear thereof. Then saidlever is still further depressed in order to stop the car, rib 15 ridesoil the cap of post 9 and the rear portion of bar 2, defined by shoulder17, is brought into Contact with the cap of post 1C, thus closing thecircuit Supthe direction in which the vehicle is to be turned, areilluminated by manual movement of lever 20 attached to a. spiderof thesteering-wheel or, if preferred, to the steeringpost, thus engaging theelectrical terminals 21 or 22, as desired, and closing the circuitextending to the proper window of the signal box.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Aswitch comprising a block of insulation material, said block having alongitudinal slot and atransverse slot, switch elements slidable in saidslots, individual spring means for urging each of said switch elementsin one direction, and means for moving said switchA elements in theopposite direction.

2. A switch comprising an insulation block, said block having slotstherein. a plurality of spring pressed contacts slidable in certain ofsaid slots, and a spring pressed bar slidable in another of said slotsand having means for successively engaging individua contacts.

3. A switch comprising an insulation block, said block having alongitudinal slot and a lurality of transverse slots, a spring pressecontact slidable in each of said transverse slots, and a contact barslidable in said longitudinal slot and having means for successivelyengaging individual contacts in said transverse slots.

4. A switch comprising an insulation block having a plurality oftransverse slots and a longitudinal slot, a spring pressed contactmember slidable in each of said transverse slots, and a contact barslidable in said longitudinal slot, said Contact bar having a pluralityof recesses into which said contact members individually extend when thebar does not engage said members,

andl having means for engaging seid cog1- tact members. 5.. A switcheomprismg aJ plurality gf spacedy spring pressed, Contact members' andv5 a bar for selectively engaging said mem; bers, said bar having aplurality of recesses vinto which seid. contae't members extepd 'whenthe barA does not engage them and a. rib between said recesses forengaging one of' said: contact" members While another of 10 said Contactmembers is' out of engagement' with thebahf Y WILLIAM H. STRAUTMAN.

ALBERT LUPBERGER.

